Sign of the Times
by Aleksander Haydn
Summary: You think you're the only ones that damned Yellow-Eyed Demon hurt? You think you're the only ones who've experienced heartache because of him? Who's lost someone because of him? Let me tell you something, Winchesters, you're not the only ones. And trust me when I say that everything you think you know on him, on hunting, on your futures, makes all of this seem like nothing.
1. Prologue: The Sign of the Times

_Just stop your crying_  
 _It's a sign of the times_  
 _Welcome to the final show_  
 _Hope you're wearing your best clothes_  
 _You can't bribe the door on your way to the sky_  
 _You look pretty good down here_  
 _But you ain't really good_

-Sign of the Times; **by Harry Styles**

* * *

JUNE 13, 1985

Leigh Braxton sat on the edge of her bed, her hands slowly rubbing her swollen belly. When she felt the kick of her unborn child, her hands stopped for a moment. Weren't most mothers-to-be excited to feel their babies move and kick? Weren't those ultrasound pictures supposed to fill them with glee? Weren't they supposed to love their child, even before it's born? Leigh didn't feel anything for her child. She wanted to, she really did, but she couldn't. Every second of every day she was reminded of who the child's father was; what it might turn out to be.

Her hands started rubbing her stomach again. She couldn't help it.

"The baby's looking healthy, Leigh." Her hands stopped. It was him. "I have to say, you humans were right about that 'pregnancy glow'. You're practically _blinding_ , Leigh."

"What do you want?" Her voice was flat, monotone. "Haven't you caused me enough heartache?"

"I can't check the progress of my little princess?" There was a mocking undertone in his voice. "She's due any day now, Leigh. I need to make sure she's as healthy as possible."

"Go to Hell."

"How original," he replied, sounding rather sarcastic. "I've already been there, honey. I know that place inside and out. I can't _wait_ to show my little princess once she's born. What do you think?"

No response. How was Leigh _supposed_ to respond? He was planning on taking their child to Hell, to twist and corrupt her into being just like him. Leigh may not feel any emotional connection to her unborn child, but that shouldn't mean it should be damned to an Eternity in Hell.

"She'll make a great addition," he went on. Walking in front of Leigh, he knelt down and placed a hand on her swollen stomach. Leigh noticed right away he had a new vessel. "I'll make sure to take good care of her."

"What makes you think she'll want anything you have planned for her?" Leigh asked. "Who's to say she may want to stay here? With me and others like her?"

There was a long silence. His hand stayed on her stomach for a moment longer, but there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of Leigh's stomach. The baby started moving, kicking rapidly.

"I don't think she likes that idea," he whispered, leaning in just enough to make Leigh's breath catch in her throat. "She's _my_ child, Leigh. I'll do with her what I please." Letting out an airy chuckle, he leaned back, a smirk on his face. "Well, what I've been _assigned_ to do anyway. I have a good feeling about her."

Taking a deep breath, Leigh tried controlling herself. Tears stung the backs of her eyes, and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his words got to her. That they _bothered_ her. She had to figure something out. She had to make sure her baby had a safe place to go to.

 **. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

PRESENT DAY: HALLOWEEN, 2005

"I don't understand why I can't go out tonight. Everyone else is."

"You know why you can't." A look of confusion. "How do you know what the other humans are doing?"

Fiddling with the gold ring on her finger, Lucinda let out a sigh and shrugged. "I'll be fine, Cas," she said. "I don't get why you can't just let me go. Other people my age are out partying and having fun. I'm stuck here reading _books_."

"You're under my charge," Cas explained, his tone even and calm, "which means whatever happens to you rests on my shoulders. And those aren't just _books_ , Lucinda, those are books on lore. You need to know this."

Lucinda didn't respond. Instead, she glanced quickly as Cas before looking at the ring on her finger. It was a simple band, nothing too extravagant. There was a small carving on the inside of the ring, something that was supposed to keep Lucinda safe. Spinning it around on her finger, Lucinda felt her stomach knot up a little. Cas had given it to her for her fifteenth birthday. The ring itself was a little snug on her finger, and she considered putting the ring on a chain and wearing it as a necklace. She had it for five years, and whatever protection it provided seemed to be working, and if she wore it as a necklace, it would still be keeping her safe.

"Please, don't be upset," Cas sighed, he almost sounded defeated, but Lucinda had to remind herself that he probably wasn't. There were so many things he didn't understand; human emotions being one of them. "I just want what's best for you."

"I understand," she said softly. "You're doing your job."

For as long as Lucinda could remember, Cas had been taking care of her. Lucinda remembered him being around quite often when she was little, but as she got older and more independent, Cas wasn't around as often. He'd come in every now and again to check in on her, and on occasion he'd stay for a few days, even a few weeks, at a time to ensure she'd stay safe. For Lucinda, Cas served as a kind of father figure and close friend. Despite his lack of being human, she saw some good in him, she appreciated all he did for her.

Kneeling in front of Lucinda, who was sitting on her bed with her suitcase beside her, Cas looked at her, his usually stoic expression softening. "I'll let you go out tonight," he said, his tone sounding softer as well. "I don't want you staying out too late, though. If something happened..."

Before he could finish, Lucinda threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I promise I won't be out long," she exclaimed. "Thank you, Cas!"

Kneeling there for a moment, stiff as a board, Cas hesitantly placed a hand on the small of her back; his way of returning the gesture. "If there's any trouble, call me," he said. "I'll be there."

"I know." Leaning back, Lucinda gave him her brightest smile. "I'll only be out for a few hours."

When Cas was gone, Lucinda decided to change into a different outfit. None of the clothes she had would serve as Halloween-costume material, but she felt it would be better than just lounging around in sweats all night. Grabbing some old jeans and a black tank top, Lucinda went into the bathroom of the motel room she was staying in and paused when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her copper brown hair was a bit messy, her skin seemed a bit too pale, and she looked a little exhausted. Sighing, Lucinda quickly washed up and threw on her new clothes; going back to her suitcase, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then dug around to find what little make up she had. Hurrying back to the bathroom, Lucinda put some foundation around the bottom of her eyes, hoping to hide the darkening circles; putting on some lipstick and a little bit of eyeliner, Lucinda took a minute to observe herself. She usually didn't wear make up, she didn't go out enough to really dress up for anyone. But seeing the way she looked in the mirror, she felt a little better. Grabbing a jacket after putting away her make up bag, Lucinda put on some tennis shoes and headed out the door.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter isn't the best, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway. If you've got any constructive criticism, I'd greatly appreciate it.**

 **Do I own anything in SPN? No. No I don't.**

 **If there's anything in this chapter that came off as confusing or uncertain, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I'll try and clear up anything you guys have questions on as soon as possible.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I should improve on.**

 **Thank you,**

 **Alek Haydn**


	2. Chapter 1: The Chain

_Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise_  
 _Running in the shadows, damn your love, damn your lies_

 _And if, you don't love me now_  
 _You will never love me again_  
 _I can still hear you saying_  
 _You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)_

-The Chain; **by Fleetwood Mac**

* * *

The second Lucinda closed the motel door, she felt butterflies explode in her stomach. It felt odd, being able to go out and _do_ something; not sit around, reading up books on lore. Not having to be under Cas' constant surveillance, even when he wasn't there. For Lucinda, it felt like she could finally take a deep breath and just _enjoy_ herself.

For once in what would be her entire life, she'd be able to go out and interact with others her age — maybe even befriend someone. Lucinda never had anyone else in her life besides Cas; maybe having someone else to talk to would make things more tolerable. Maybe having a friend wouldn't make her feel like she was so isolated. When she started walking down the sidewalk, she noticed how the streets weren't really as occupied with trick-or-treaters, which could only mean it wasn't the kind of area families wanted their children exposed to. There were a few families here and there, quickly walking by, but Lucinda didn't give them a second thought. Her gaze may have lingered on them, but she didn't want to make them _too_ uncomfortable.

Pulling on her jacket, hoping to at least have herself covered up some, Lucinda took a deep breath and let out a sigh. She was going to enjoy the time Cas was allowing her to have. She couldn't say for sure if she'd ever get another chance again.

 **. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"...I just can't understand why you're so dedicated to this...Look, I get it, you want to impress...It's been _twenty_ _years_!...My hands are full, why don't you just ask..." There was a pause. A long pause. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she looked closer at the blood filled goblet, her lips pursing. It had been twenty years since the infant had been lost, and there were no leads on her whereabouts. Needless to say, it had been a very, _very_ unpleasant time. Twenty years of looking — searching every decrepit town, every rundown motel, every single car — and not a sign of Leigh's baby had been found. Needless to say, there was more than enough shouting matches and unsavory names thrown about, and it only made things even harder. It was bad enough that there had to be a continuous manhunt for Leigh's baby, despite no one really knowing what she looked like; but there was also keeping an eye on all those "special children". It was maddening.

With a sigh, Meg tried clearing her mind. She couldn't let herself get worked up. She had a job to do, and she had to make sure it was done efficiently.

Not even a second later, Meg's thoughts were broken when she heard what had been said on the other side.

" _What_?" she hissed. Another pause. "They can't be back...Are you sure?...What about her?...Fine."

 **. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

Lucinda managed to find a mini shopping mall not far from the motel she was staying at. It wasn't big or fancy or anything, but it was a relatively nice little mall. Lucinda saw some families going into the mall with their kids, dressed up and excited. Tilting her head a little in curiosity, Lucinda decided she'd go check it out. It had to be a decent place if families were bringing their kids in.

Walking across the street, she entered the mall and took a look around. There were a few no-name stores scattered around, a small food court with a few food stalls stationed around the area. Lucinda saw the occasional person walking by, maybe a small group of young people dressed up and having a good time. Lucinda also saw families going by with their kids, the children looking absolutely ecstatic. Lucinda couldn't help but feel happy for those families, how they seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Unconsciously, Lucinda started fiddling with the ring on her finger, just taking her time to look around. Since she never really got the opportunity to go out and see and truly interact with other people, being able to see what others did, what others perceived as so common, was something big for Lucinda. She was going to enjoy it as much as she could.

Right as she turned the corner to another area of the mall, she accidentally bumped into a relatively young looking man. Letting out a startled sound, Lucinda took a moment to steady her heart before looking up at the man. He seemed rather unbothered by the ordeal, having a seemingly nonchalant look on his face.

"I-I'm sorry," Lucinda stammered. "I didn't even see you there."

"It's fine," he responded, shrugging it off. "It's no big deal."

Nodding, Lucinda made an attempt to walk around the man, but he stopped her. Grabbing her forearm, Lucinda's breath caught in her throat. Her body stiffened at his touch; it seemed like he was really holding back when he gripped her, considering he had such an iron-clad grip on her forearm.

When Lucinda took a second to turn and look at him, she saw that even though he still had that nonchalant expression, that seemingly relaxed posture, there was something else beneath his exterior. His eyes seemed guarded, like he was hiding something deep inside him. Something stirred deep inside Lucinda, something not very pleasant.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, her voice quiet.

His eyes looked at her for a moment before glancing down. "That's a lovely ring," he commented. "Are you married?"

Swallowing thickly, Lucinda shook her head.*

"Engaged?"

Again, Lucinda shook her head.

Nodding, the man let go of her forearm, looking her in the eyes for the longest second of her life. Without another word, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and walked off.

Lucinda stood frozen for a few minutes, hoping to wait long enough until he was really gone before going back to the motel. Maybe if she told Cas about him, he'd be able to look more into who he is.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry it took so long to put this chapter up, though I hope you guys like it. If there's anything that came off as confusing or unclear, don't hesitate to let me know, okay? It's important I get informed on whatever's unclear for you guys so I can clear it up. Also, if you've got constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know. I'd appreciate it if I knew what your thoughts are on the chapters so far.**

 **Do I own anything in the SPN fandom? No. No I do not.**

 **As a warning for you guys, I am kind of a newbie when it comes to the show. I am _really_ close to finishing season 2; I started watching the show on Netflix a while back, but I never got around to finishing it. I know season 12 just wrapped up not too long ago, and season 13 is starting up around October. I'll try and work around what I've got so far, but I will probably take some time off occasionally to watch a few episodes and work from there. I also wouldn't mind some help from you guys, in case I get any characters wrong.**

 **I digress.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thank you,**

 **Alek Haydn**


	3. Chapter 2: ¿Viva La Gloria?

_Little girl, little girl, why are you crying?_  
 _Inside your restless soul your heart is dying_  
 _Little one, little one, your soul is purging_  
 _Of love and razor blades your blood is surging_

-¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl); **by Green Day**

* * *

Cambions — or half-demons — are considered, by Heaven, to be abominations, dangers to Earth and Heaven itself. And, by orders of the higher officials, any demon who managed to conceive such an abomination with a human woman would be eliminated immediately. In most situations, the human woman would be killed before the child's birth; in other situations, if the woman managed to birth the cambion, an angel would kill both when they were weak and defenseless. If the demon managed to stay on Earth, they would be eliminated as well. Thankfully, though, cambions weren't common, which meant Heaven didn't have to worry _too_ much about one popping up like daisies. _Un_ fortunately, there was one in particular that showed up when they least expected it.

A high ranking demon in Hell managed to possess and impregnate a human woman. The cambion would be powerful, and Heaven had its orders to kill the human and the abomination before its birth. Again, unfortunately, the human and her unborn child managed to flee each and every time before an angel managed to nab her. The demon father was always one step ahead. Before long, the woman managed to fall off of Heaven's radar, and it would be _months_ before anyone in Heaven managed to find her. When it happened, they sent down a small flight of angels to take her down; and the demon, should he still be there. While one took care of the human, the others would search for the demon. Castiel's job was to kill the human, the others accompanying him would kill the demon. When the other angels had returned, the human was gone, and so was Castiel.

The human, Leigh Braxton, would be taken to a safe location by Castiel. One even Heaven wouldn't be able to find. In that area, Leigh would go into labor. After what felt like a lifetime, Leigh would give birth to a girl she'd name Lucinda. Because of the bargain Leigh made with Castiel, he would exchange Lucinda's life for hers; which meant Lucinda would live and she would die. After everything had finished and had been cleaned up, Castiel would allow Leigh one more look at her daughter before taking her. After telling her to close her eyes, Castiel stabbed her through the heart with an Angel Blade. One fatal wound. Looking at the crying newborn in his arms, Castiel initially had no idea what to do. He'd never been in that kind of situation before. He didn't know what babies needed in order to survive, and he started to wonder if, maybe, the deal with Leigh was really worth it. But when he looked at her body, bloodied and obviously peaceful compared to when she was alive, Castiel would take the regretful thought back. Lucinda needed someone to take care of her, and he'd have to figure out how.

If Castiel managed to find a human who'd help him figure out how to take care of newborns, then he'd be able to go from there.

Slowly but surely, Cas learned how to take care of Lucinda. He tried his hardest to provide for her, despite having no money and still not having a full understanding on how humans worked. The downside to having to take care of Lucinda was having to keep her a secret from Heaven. He didn't doubt that once Heaven realized Lucinda was still alive, they'd kill her and have a few choice words to him. It seemed as though Castiel had done a good job keeping Lucinda safe; he'd managed to keep her alive and well for twenty years, but his frequent absences in Heaven hadn't gone unnoticed.

Which was why, in Lucinda's motel room, he had been confronted by the former angels in his flight, the day he was supposed to kill Leigh and Lucinda.

 **. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

In all honesty, Lucinda didn't leave the mall for a couple minutes after the man left. She was scared that he'd show up again. After what felt like the longest five minutes of her life went by, Lucinda hesitantly walked around the corner and looked around. She didn't _see_ him, but that didn't mean he couldn't be lurking around the mall still.

Swallowing thickly, Lucinda started to walk as quickly as she could out of the mall. Any hopes of maintaining a nice night out having vanished from her mind. All that seemed to matter was getting back to the motel and getting in contact with Cas. If she managed to tell him about the man, maybe he'd have some kind of solution for it. Hopefully.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Lucinda quickened her pace just a little, hoping she could make it to the motel before it got too late.

The idea of being out at night didn't sound as fun as she originally thought. Especially if she was staying in a not-so-friendly part of the area.

Once she was out of the mall, she hurried out of the parking lot, where the number of people and cars had diminished greatly. The number of trick-or-treaters had gone down significantly, which made Lucinda's stomach churn. She was hoping that there'd still be enough people out to make her feel comfortable in case the man returned. The thought of praying to Cas, having him pop up beside her like he tended to do, flitted through Lucinda's mind very briefly, but she didn't think it'd be a good idea. She wasn't exactly sure how anyone would react if they saw her kneeling, openly praying, in the middle of the night. The thought was immediately discarded.

Unconsciously, Lucinda started fiddling with the ring on her finger. It was snug, and she knew she'd have to get some kind of chain for it before it got too small for her finger. Looking down at it, Lucinda's lips pursed. The simple golden band held so much significance to her life, with Cas stating its importance so many times. She never understood why he was so intent on her having it on her at all times, but she did it to please him. If Cas felt it important to keep her safe — from what, she didn't know — then she'd do as he said for whatever plans he came up with. Which also involved moving around a lot.

Turning a corner, Lucinda made sure to take a good look around before proceeding, her pace becoming almost a slow jog. She really was desperate to get back.

 **. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

"You've kept the cambion alive, Castiel." Ishim looked at Castiel with a look of disdain, as if he couldn't quite believe it. "Do you understand what kind of situation that puts us in? Cambions are dangerous, that's why we _kill_ them."

"Lucinda is different," Castiel replied, keeping his tone civil yet monotone. "She's unlike any cambion Heaven has come across."

Shaking his head, Ishim let out a frustrated huff of air. "You don't believe that," he grumbled. "She's an abomination. An unholy result from her parents. She shouldn't even _exist_."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Castiel pursed his lips. "That may be true, but there's still something about her that's different."

"I should've been the one to kill her," Ishim exclaimed. "If you'd left it to me, I would've gotten the job done. Now we've got a cambion on the lose and an angel who thinks she's good. How well do you think that's been taken upstairs?"

Before either of them could continue, Ishim's gaze went to the door of the motel room. Despite not a sound being heard from the other end, there was someone standing on the other side. Castiel's eyes widened a fraction before he turned to the direction of the door.

Before he even had a moment to react, Ishim had vanished, teleporting to the other side of the door.*

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **First off, sorry for the delay on this chapter! I tried to have it up and ready the day I updated the story, but I got so sidetracked that I completely forgot about this. I hope this chapter makes up for it. It may not be the best, but hopefully it's still decent.**

 **I, unfortunately, own nothing in the SPN fandom.**

 **Constructive criticism is always welcome. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I'll be sure to put it in as quickly as possible.***

 **As a side note for those of you genuinely interested in the story, this past Wednesday I started my summer quarter. I'm taking two morning classes, which I think is great. But because it's summer and everything, my job has also increased my hours, so I won't be able to update as frequently; though it's not like I really update all that often for this story anyway. Which I apologize for. I just figured it'd be nice to let you guys know, right?**

 **Also, come fall, I'll really be overwhelmed with school. I'm going to be taking five classes at my community college in hopes of graduating in the spring, so please don't be mad if my time on this story becomes nearly nonexistent. I'll just be drowning in schoolwork.**

 **On that note, I should be wrapping up this author's note!**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and I hope you're having an amazing summer.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I should improve on.**

 **Thank you,**

 **Alek Haydn**


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